Could this be why God doesn't answer EVERY prayer?

Question

recently, there is a video game out called "Black and White" where you play a God, you can be either evil or good. One consequence to being good is that if you answer every pray and do everything for them, the people become lazy and complacent and expect the God of that video game to solve the problems for them instead of them doing things for themselves.


OKAY, Here's my question...
I know that God does hear me and answers my prayers, but do you think that one reason that God does not give us everything we want is to prevent us from getting into a welfare mentality? By that, I mean that if God answered every prayer we would sit back and expect God to give us everything?

I'm sure I'll hear from the "God is illogical/doesn't exist crowd" but for those of you who do believe in God, could it just be possible that God doesn't answer EVERY prayer the way we want so that we don't get too complacent?

Answer 1

I think you are on the right track to a degree. Basically, if we got every answer every time we asked, then we would no longer need faith because we would have proof. There would be no need to separate earth from heaven because we would know all things for a certainty. I am not sure if we would become weak or lazy, but I do think a part of our spiritual growth would be dead.

When it comes to not having every prayer answered, I always think of this as "things are not always as they appear." We don't know and can't see our future. Sometimes getting what we asked for could be the worst possible thing for us since we can't puzzle the future out. Often we make tremendous growth or find a way opened for us that we would have missed if we got exactly what we wanted.

Answer 2

That is a possibility, but I believe that He does answer every prayer. Sometimes we just don't hear or understand when He says "No", "in My time," or "I have something better for you, just wait on Me."

I've had a similar discussion with people why does God let all this bad stuff happen to us. You know, wars, killings, child molestation, and stuff. People ask me "Does He care, If He did this wouldn't have happened".

You know God cares about everyone and everything. God cries and holds us as we are being tortured, abused and hurt. God loved us so much that He gave us free will and regardless of what we do, He will never take away our free will. So if I decide to kill somebody, which I wouldn't, I would probably get a "check in my spirit" you know that feeling that somethings wrong. (That's the Holy Spirit.) He is a gentleman and will not step in if not asked. So unless I changed my mind and heart, I could kill someone. God will never overstep our will

Hope this helps. By the way, Merry Christmas!!!!

Answer 3

If God were to answer every prayer the way we wanted it, a couple of things would happen: First, our world would be more chaotic than it has ever been. Second, were would be the need for faith. If we knew that God was going to answer our prayer what would be the point in having faith because we knew God would come through for us all the tiime. God has the ultimate plan for each of our lives. If prayers were always answered each of us would have the plan for our own lives mapped out. There have been so many times when I have asked for something in prayer and God has said no. In retrospect though I am often glad God said no because what he had planned is often even better than what I asked prayer for or i realize that what I wanted is not that important.

Answer 4

No. Lamentations 3:44 states in no uncertain terms that God does not hear every prayer. Nor should he.

Those prayers that are not pleasing to him are as follows: prayers recited from rote (memorized). Why? Because these do not come from the heart and do not mean anything from the individual. God is not something that you can "whittle away at" by throwing prayer after prayer at. He does not answer those asking for selfish things, things we can do without or things we do not need. Try instead asking for things to get by, things for loved ones and things FOR HIM. God does not listen to prayers that are hurtful in nature, asking for others to change or for others to do something different. Each person is allowed self-will and for God to interfere would throw all of creation into chaos and make Satan the winner.

What does God listen too? Easy...on the nite before his Crucifixion, Christ Jesus himself taught everyone how to pray with what is now know as "The Lord's Prayer."

The first thing Christ asked for in Prayer was for God's Name to be sanctified or made holy! Then, he asked for God's will to be done on the Earth as it was being done in Heaven. So, our example is plain, we should seek out what God wants, then what we want in prayer, this is what would be pleasing to God to hear. Putting HIM first.

Answer 5

The reason why God doesn't answer people's prayer all the time is he probably doesn't feel like its the right thing for them. Even though God loves us all, he still doesn't give us everything our heart desires. He always listen to us, but he might not act on your schedule because he has his own. Your right that God doesn't want us to be lazy, so he makes us do things on our own. Just remember God never leaves you.

Answer 6

Have you ever seen the film "Bruce Almighty" that's one topic they talk about, and they bring up a good point. (Good movie if you don't mind a black God and a normal person as God, so what.) "Since when do people know what's best for them". Also actual history has proof of societies that get complacent and end up destroyed do to different reasons.

Answer 7

Why He doesnt answer a prayer:

1) out of His will
2) you have unrepented sin still on you
3) didnt pray in Jesus name
4) for selfish needs
5) you have wronged another without apology
6) you did not have the faith to receive
7) you did not pray specifically. If we pray too generally, we may not give Him the glory He wants and just think it was a probability of circumstance.
8) complacency, like you said. A good parent says no at times.

Blessings,
David

Answer 8

I think you have it all wrong. God wants us to rely on him for EVERYTHING. Our very breath, our food, our water, our jobs.

Bible also say we are to pray without ceasing (haven't accomplished this yet). So we are to pray about everything we want, everything we need. So You have it backwards.

Also bible says he hears those who obey him. that's another thought.

When we pray we should also add each time, "if it's your will God" because he know what is best. We may pray for something that he can see, down the road is not good for us. AND sometimes the answer is no! For many reasons, not good for us, will hurt someone else, won't allow us to grow spiritually. In fact when we pray for are to assume God will do it for us and say thanks for doing what I just prayed for, this is faith.

Solomon who was King Davids son was told by God he could have anything he wanted he just had to ask. He asked God to give him wisdom! Imagine that! God was so impressed he gave him wisdom AND tons of wealth. God is generous, look he gave his own son up to die for us.

Answer 9

I believe there is a reason for everything with him. Sometimes receiveing a NO, does not mean he cannot answer yes, it just means he chooses to answer no, because it is not part of his plan. His plan is good for him, and our plans may not necessarily be good for him. Thus he will answer anything that puts forward his plan. And I believe it has nothing to do with a welfare mentality. I also find it presumptous for us to attempt to understand his reasoning. In the end he is God(omnipotent) and will decide to with us whatever he pleases. All we can hope for is to follow the clues he gives for behavior, in the case of christhian, do as christ says, in the case of muslims as mahoma says and so on....

Answer 10

God knows more than we do and he knows what is best for us and I'm sure if he thinks it is good for us to do somethings for ourselves that could play a role in whether we receive what we ask for but there are many reasons why we wouldn't receive our hearts content... God knows our present and our future and our needs and we only see the immediate and what appears to be a good thing today could be a detriment tomorrow.